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Alaska Geographic Data Committee (AGDC) Introductions Mark Shasby welcomed the attendees. Kathryn Lizik, AKDOL; Kerry Kirkpatrick, AKDOT/PF; and Ron Skillings and Everett Hinkley, USFS, were participating via teleconference from Juneau. DOI High-Priority Digital Base Data Program Status Report A.C. Brown discussed the status of the digital raster graphics (DRG), digital elevation model (DEM), and digital line graph (DLG) products being produced for Alaska. The AGDC has received the 43 DRG CD’s that comprise total State coverage. These are being loaded onto the AGDC Clearinghouse and will be available to the AGDC membership shortly. The DRG CD’s contain the 1:250K; 1:63,360K, and where available, the 1:25K maps for each quad. Most CD’s contain more than one quadrangle of complete data. The Kenai quad DRG coverage consists of a 2 CD set. Brown noted that the DEM coverage at the 1:63,360K scale is nearing completion for the entire State. There are 230 DEM’s that are being edgematched to their surrounding DEM’s. Other DEM’s are in the process of having their headers changed. The hydrography DLG’s at the same scale are being completed by hydrologic unit coverages (HUC). This will assist in developing the National Hydro Data Set (NHD) for Alaska. Senior staff from the Rocky Mountain Mapping Center have projected a time frame of late spring, 1998, when the data that has been completed should be available to members of the AGDC through the Clearinghouse. Brown reported that the cooperative agreement between the USGS/BLM/USFWS/NPS for the revision and digital production of hydrography files from the 1:63,360K maps in Alaska has been completed. Of the 804 hydrography files identified for revision and digital production, 655 hydro files were completed and shipped to BLM for distribution to USFWS and NPS. No action was taken on the remaining 149 files identified by the cooperators for revision. RMMC has indicated that if there is sufficient interest in completing the remaining files, another cooperative agreement could be established. On the subject of the Alaska Digital Orthophoto Quadrangle (DOQ) program, Shasby outlined the policy decisions handed down from the National Imaging Mapping Agency (NIMA) that will place limitations on the availability and distribution of Imagery Derived Products (IDP’s). At this point in time, any IDP digital ortho product derived from national sources are only available for distribution to Federal agencies by the approved NMD production centers. Federal agencies cannot transfer data or hard copy literal products to another Federal agency, but they can distribute within their respective agency. A status map showing IDP digital ortho products that have been produced as a source material for the DLG hydrography revision program in Alaska was displayed. It was explained that these were not DOQ’s that were produced to the AGDC’s DOQ standard and were not to be considered to be part of the statewide DOQ program. There are approximately 200 IDP DOQ’s that are in production as part of the approved DOI High-Priority Digital Base Data Program for 1998. These DOQ’s will have the same restrictions placed on their use and distribution as the source material IDP digital orthos previously discussed. Several concerns regarding the IDP DOQ’s produced for Alaska to date were noted: (1) they are not able to be distributed to non-Federal agencies; (2) they are non-transferable; (3) they do not meet AGDC DOQ standards; (4) and, they do not fit in with the goals of the AGDC which envisions an open and distributed network of shared geographic data which is the basis of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). Due to these concerns, Shasby recommended that the AGDC DOQ subcommittee reconvene in the near future to reevaluate the direction and objectives of the AGDC DOQ program especially as it pertains to the use of classified National Systems. Subcommittee and Working Group Reports Clearinghouse Emily Binnian reported that the AGDC Clearinghouse is one of 47 FGDC compliant host sites nationwide. The AGDC node is the only mirrored FGDC node out of all of these sites. The Clearinghouse Working Group participated in the National Videoconference on Metadata on October 15. The Metadata Tools Home Page was recently updated and can be accessed through the AGDC Home Page. Earth Cover No report. Soils Ted Cox, NRCS, gave an update on the 1997 aerial photography acquisitions. The Kenai Peninsula coverage has been completed, but there are still gaps in the aerial coverage over the Fairbanks area. Bathymetry Bob Pawlowski, NOAA, attended the National Shoreline Data Standards meeting which took place in Charleston, SC. The definition of ‘what constitutes a shoreline’ is a big semantic question. Pawlowski reported that the first official meeting of the Bathymetry subcommittee was convened on November 13. The members recommended initial projects to: (1) prepare a clear definition of coastline datums; (2) develop standards for establishing datums as well as horizontal and vertical control for each datum; (3) produce a map showing the quality of datums for Alaska; (4) identify issues in joining USGS’ DRG’s with NOAA’s raster charts and other private sector raster products; and, (5) evaluate a cohesive geodetic network for controlling the coastal zone. Cadastral Rich McMahon, State of Alaska DNR, reported on the October meeting in Phoenix. He gave an update on the PLSS project that DNR is working on and that a CD product should be available by the next annual Alaska Surveying and Mapping Conference. McMahon said that this project may benefit other Western states. The BLM is active on a parallel project and that they are working on the data side, while AKDNR is developing the software. McMahon updated the meeting attendees on other cadastral items of interest. The scanning project idea to create an image data base is still alive that he hopes can evolve during the next fiscal year. The Mining Claim Information project is alive as well. Larry Tuck, AKDNR, gave a demonstration on the Parcel Mapping project and the PLSS project. Wetlands No report. Hydrography Dennis Tol, BLM, gave a demonstration of the Alaska Aquatic Resource Information Management (ARIMS) project. Tol also discussed the benefits that the NHD can provide to users of hydrography data in the State. He reviewed the blind pass and visual pass steps that will need to be done to integrate the revised hydrography data with existing data. The revised hydrography for several HUC units are nearing completion to act as prototypes for the NHD in Alaska. USGS staff who are working with the NHD plan on traveling the Anchorage the last week in January to meet with the Hydrography subcommittee. Announcements Awards Binnian announced that the FGDC 1997 grants have been awarded and that 5 out of the 54 awards are Alaskan initiatives. The date for submitting proposals for FY98 is February 28, 1998. These National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) proposals can fall into one of three categories; Cooperative Agreements, the Benefits Program, and under Framework. A handout will all of the information describing how to apply for the 1998 program was distributed. A recommendation was made by McMahon and strongly seconded by Shasby that folks who are interested in applying for 1998 FGDC grants should request a letter of support from the AGDC. This would be useful to the AGDC in keeping track of the status of these various proposals and to be able to comment and support these proposals when questioned by the FGDC. Lisa Thomas, USGS, discussed the project for the Prince William Sound and Copper River areas. One CD has been produced to date and she envisions producing a second CD that may contain up to 30 different data layers. This data that is produced will be served through the Internet and the data will reside in the AGDC Clearinghouse. Thomas will provide information that explains this project and its related data when it is placed in the Clearinghouse. Shari George, UAF, ADVAL, talked about the University of Alaska President’s Award to produce an AVHRR digital archive and make it available through the AGDC Clearinghouse. Emily Binnian mentioned the award that the Forest Service’s Sitka Ranger District and the Sitka Conservation Society (SCS) received. This innovative partnership will facilitate improved information sharing. The primary goal of the project is to produce better documentation of existing Forest Service spatial data so that other groups such as SCS can more easily use these data. Bridget Callahan, State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game, discussed the award that they received to establish a shared spatial data resource for Kachemak Bay. This Internet-base Framework project will be FGDC compliant. Currently, they are identifying data which will be captured, standardized, and then placed on an Internet node. This group is working on this project with staff from NOAA’s Coastal Science Center, Charleston, SC. Dorothy Mortensen, AKDNR, briefed the group on the award that will aid in the development of a Clearinghouse for State and local entity interests. This Clearinghouse will have a slightly different look than the AGDC Clearinghouse as it will be based on data theme instead of specific agency. Larry Tuck, AKDNR, discussed the award that will enable his group to develop an integrated data base for State and Federal land data at the parcel level for parks, forests, and refuges throughout Alaska. Other Business Shari George briefed the group on the status of Landsat 7. Tom George attended a recent meeting in Washington, DC and reported that the satellite has a tentative launch data in June of 1998. This data may slip. It will have 30-meter resolution for multi-spectral data and 15-meter for panchromatic. It is being built by NASA and will be operated by NOAA, with data reception, processing, and distribution provided by the USGS EROS Data Center. George said that they plan on having 2 passes per day over Alaska. This raises concern at the EROS Data Center who had understood there would be 4 passes per day. Data users are encouraged to write a letter expressing their concern. Mark Shasby raised the issue of having two Co-Chairs for the AGDC. He recommends that the second Chair should come from the State of Alaska to increase their participation. This issue will be brought up at the next general AGDC meeting. The AGDC charter will be examined at that time to identify any modifications that may be necessary. Next Meeting The next general meeting of the AGDC will take place during the annual Alaska Surveying and Mapping Conference that will be held at the Egan Convention Center next February. Date, time, and location will be announced at a later date. |
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